Planning a Holiday Party in Sacramento or the Bay Area? Why Dueling Pianos Steal the Show

Modern Dueling Pianos setup

Every November the same question lands on office managers and event planners across Northern California: what are we doing for the holiday party this year? Another DJ in a hotel ballroom? A trivia night? Or something people will still be talking about in January? If your company is anywhere from Sacramento to the South Bay, a dueling piano show is one of the easiest ways to turn a holiday party into a night your team actually remembers.

What a dueling piano show actually is

Two pianist-singers sit at two piano shells facing the crowd. Guests write song requests on slips, and the players turn those requests into a nonstop, sing-along show. One minute it is Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You, the next it is Bon Jovi, then a country hit, then a Motown run that gets the whole room on its feet. Nothing is pre-set. Your guests choose every song, which is why it works so well for mixed groups.

Modern Dueling Pianos is based in Northern California. Our co-founders are James Michael Day, a former San Jose Sharks organist and longtime regular at Lefty O'Doul's in San Francisco, and Jason Marion, who spent years at Johnny Foley's Dueling Piano Bar and now runs the dueling piano show at Mäkse in Vacaville.

Why it works for corporate holiday parties

It gives people a reason to mingle. Most holiday parties have the same problem: departments sit with their own teams and the night never really gets going. Requests change that. Coworkers huddle to pick a song, cheer on the person who gets pulled up for a birthday or a work anniversary, and argue over whether the next song should be Queen or Taylor Swift.

It works for every age group. Your new hires and your longest-serving employees can enjoy the same show, because the setlist comes from both of them.

It fits your schedule. Holiday parties have a run-of-show: arrivals, dinner, a few words from leadership, maybe awards or a raffle. We keep the music softer during dinner and speeches, provide a mic for announcements, and save the big sing-alongs for when the room is ready.

It can be as clean as you need. Corporate shows are family-friendly by default. If your team wants a little more edge late in the night, just tell us.

Sacramento holiday parties

Sacramento companies book everything from downtown hotel ballrooms to restaurant buyouts in Midtown and event centers in Roseville and Folsom. We bring our own pianos, sound and lighting, so the venue only needs a level space and power. If you want to see the show first, catch a public night at Mäkse in Vacaville. Read more on our Sacramento dueling pianos page.

San Jose and Bay Area holiday parties

Bay Area holiday parties tend to be bigger productions, with AV teams, tight timelines and a lot of different personalities in one room. Our performed-for list includes PayPal, Google, Meta and Intuit, and we know how to work with a producer's cue sheet. You can see us live at Faith & Spirits in San Carlos on select weekends. Details are on our San Jose and Bay Area corporate page.

Planning outside those areas? We also cover Stockton, Modesto and Lodi, Napa and Sonoma, and Reno and Lake Tahoe.

Ideas to make it feel like your party

  • Open with a set of holiday classics during arrivals, then shift to the year's biggest hits.
  • Send us a few inside jokes or team names and we will work them into a song.
  • Give each department a "request battle" and let the room vote on the winner.
  • Put the CEO or the party committee on stage for one big chorus.
  • For fundraising parties or toy drives, request tips can go to your cause.

What does it cost?

Pricing depends on the date, show length, travel and production. As a ballpark, a three-hour show with two pianist-singers, two piano shells and a pro sound system in Northern California is typically around $2,500, and every quote is confirmed in writing. December Fridays and Saturdays are the first dates to go. Our dueling pianos cost guide covers what affects the price and how to compare quotes.

Book early for December

Holiday party dates fill quickly, especially the first three weekends of December. If you have a date, or even a short list of dates, send us your city or venue, an approximate guest count and the hours you have in mind. We will check availability and send a quote so you can lock in the date and cross "holiday entertainment" off your list.

Get a free quote or call or text (408) 203-5563.